From: ephemeral@ephemeralfic.org
Date: 11 Dec 2001 03:59:08 -0000
Subject: Man to Man Talk VIII by Girlie_girl7
Source: direct

Reply To: FoxfireX@hotmail.com



Title: Man to Man Talk VIII
Author: Girlie_Girl 7
Date: 12-12-01
Category: M&S, Baby FF
Rating: G
Archive: It would be nice.
Summary: Mulder continues his chat with his son.
Spoilers: Scully and Mulder have a baby.(gasp!)
Disclaimers: I feel really sorry for M&S and William 
being owned by Fox, I would take much better care of them.
Notes: Oh, and I'm not a 9er.



The parking lot is, well a parking lot. Spaces are 
at a premium and to top it all off it's snowing. 
Snow is suppose to add to the festive atmosphere 
but not when you're looking for a parking space.
The mall is packed with people standing shoulder 
to shoulder. It's hot and stuffy, while Christmas
music belches from every corner.
A man is seen walking down the concourse, his 
leather jacket slung over his shoulder, having 
shed it as soon as he hit the sweltering heat 
that is the mall. A diaper bag is thrown over the 
other shoulder with a tiny fuzzy coat hanging over 
it. He's carrying a small boy, his legs straddling 
the mans waist as his father firmly holds him, 
one hand wrapped protectively around him.


        
          ~Fox Mulder is Christmas Shopping~
 

Mulder and Scully have already bought and shipped 
the gifts for the relatives and they have thoroughly 
enjoyed shopping for Will. 
Each night, Scully came home from work to find Mulder
with a new toy to show her, that he had ordered off 
the internet. 

But the most fun has to have been the weekend that 
Maggie kept William. They spent the entire Saturday
walking through the malls, shopping and holding hands,
stopping for coffee, and buying things for Will. They
laughed and touched and spent heavily but who cared, 
it was only money and they enjoyed spending it on 
their son.

Mulder's mind drifts back to the thought of that day
and it makes the task before him seem easier. 

He sits down on a bench next to other haggard 
looking men. Some are burdened with bags of gifts 
while others just stare at their long lists,
scratching their heads.

Mulder and Will are looking for Scully's Christmas
gift. Will is captiviated by all the bright 
colors and the people passing by.
"Will, I thought this would be easy," Mulder says
as he turns his son around, sitting him on his lap. 

"Da, da, da," Will jabbers, not yet able to put it 
all together.

"That's right. I'm your da," Mulder laughs at Will.
Will spies' another baby in a stroller and immediately 
starts to jump and babble in baby talk.

"Spot one of your own kind Will?" Mulder snickers.
Will is struggling, trying to get down.
"Oh no you don't! If your mother ever found out I 
let you play on this dirty floor, she'd make sure 
you were an only child."

The stroller and the baby disappear into the 
mass of people, Will seems disappointed.
"You really like the under-three-feet crowd
don't you Will."
Will drools down his chin and onto the blue 
corduroy bibs he is clad in. He has a red and 
blue plaid flannel shirt on and red Nikes on his 
feet. Mulder did win that battle, Will gets to 
wear shoes; he just has a hard time keeping them on.
He lost one a few weeks ago prompting Mulder to 
hurriedly replace it, knowing Scully would realize 
it was gone and hit the ceiling over the expense. 
Just a little secret Will and dad keep from mom.

"Hey buddy do you have any idea what mom would
like for Christmas?"
Will jabbers and stuffs a fist into his mouth.
Mulder bounces Will on his knee, "I sure wish 
I could understand baby talk."

Will spouts, "da, da, da," again.

"Okay Will, let's get this show on the road," 
Mulder says getting up, rolling his stiff shoulders.
With Will clasp to his chest, Mulder begins his 
trek through the mall. Coming upon a jewelry
store, he looks in the window.

"Will, you think mom would like a nice piece of
jewelry?" Will shouts', "Mo, mo, mo," as he bounces 
in Mulder's arms.

"Sorry buddy 'mo', isn't here."

As they walk into the store, Mulder scans the 
showcases. An older woman approaches him, "Can I 
help you sir?"

"I was just looking for a Christmas gift."

"For a woman?"

Mulder smiles at her, "Yes, his mom actually."

"Mo, mo, mo," Will repeats.

The sales clerk laughs and motions for Mulder to 
follow her. She takes him to a counter filled 
with gold chains.

"See anything here she would like?"

"Um, not really, she has a favorite necklace that
she's never without, except under extreme circumstances."
Mulder's voice grows low as he remembers the last 
time she was without it.

The clerk looks at the baby Mulder holds to his
chest. "Does he have any brothers or sisters?"

"Not yet," Mulder replies a little red faced.

"Have you given any thought to a baby ring?"

"Excuse me?"

The clerk laughs. "We fit your son with a ring 
and you can give it to his mother. She can wear it
on a chain or put it away but it's always there to
remind her of how tiny those fingers once were."
Mulder looks at Will who currently has his fingers
in his mouth. "Okay but make sure it's waterproof."
The clerk laughs as she retrieves a small tray of 
baby rings from the display case.

The ring is fitted and set aside for engraving. 
Mulder pays the bill and takes off with Will. 
"One down and a few more to go."
 
They make their way past several women's specialty 
shops. Mulder looks them over but isn't quite sure 
what Scully would like. Finally picking one, he 
walks in.

Will immediately tries to grab a colorful, 
shimmery shirt from the display. "Oh no you don't 
Will, let me pick out the clothes," Mulder says as 
he pulls Will's hand away, holding it to him.

A young woman approaches Mulder. "Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for a Christmas gift."

"Okay." The woman says, hoping for a little more
information.

"Do you have any idea what she would like?"

"Umm no," Mulder says a little stressed as he 
scans the large store.

"All right, let's start with her size."

"Her size." Mulder replies as if he's asking 
the clerk the  question.

"You don't know her size," the clerk sighs.

"Well no not exactly but she comes up to my chin 
and she's kinda tiny all over." 

"I see," the clerk says having been down this road 
before with men. Motioning for Mulder and Will to 
follow her, they move to another part of the store.

"How about lingerie, size isn't so critical in 
lounge or sleep wear." Mulder looks over the rows
of pajamas, nightgowns and teddies displayed before 
him. The clerk  excuses herself for a moment.

Mulder runs his hands over the silky fabrics, "You 
know Will I could get use to seeing your mom in
this stuff."

"Mo, mo, mo," Will jabbers.

The clerk returns, and between them they chose a 
long green satin robe with matching pajamas. Mulder 
once again pulls out his credit card, paying the bill. 

He takes the package that the clerk, thankfully, 
gift wrapped for him. As they are leaving the store 
Mulder looks back into the window, "Will I think 
for your mother's birthday I'll buy her that 
little blue silk number we saw."

He kisses Will's head, moving back into the 
mall crowd.

Rounding a corner he comes to a snack area. 
"I could use some coffee Will, you probably 
need a little juice."
Will is too consumed by the activities going
on around him to care what his father says.

Mulder gets in line behind a woman with two 
horrible children. Will is fascinated by their 
antics and claps wildly as they misbehave. 
Mulder whispers to him, "Don't encourage them
buddy."

Mulder finally makes his way to the front of 
the line and places his order for coffee and 
fries. He pays the bill and balances the tray,
making his way to a free table.  Grabbing a 
high chair, he settles Will into it. "I guess I
should have taken Frohike with us Will, like he 
offered, but we'd still be standing in that lingerie 
shop."

Will, smacks his hands on the high chair tray as 
Mulder pulls' out a bottle of juice. Eagerly Will
takes' it, having just learned to feed himself, 
much to Scully's dismay. She wanted him to stay
small a few months longer.

Mulder pops open the coffee lid, taking a long sip. 
Will reaches for the cup, letting the bottle hit 
the tray. "Oh no son, no caffine for you. You 
already give your mother a run for her money, 
she doesn't need you hopped up on caffine."

Mulder breaks a fry into pieces, blowing on it, 
he places it on Will's tray. The baby hurriedly
stuffs the fry into his mouth. 
"Don't tell mom we shared some fries. She would 
skin me and have your stomach pumped. 'No fried 
food for my baby,'" Mulder mocks.
Mulder laughs as Will stuffs another fry into 
his mouth. Will laughs' at Mulder laughing at him.
Between the two of them they polish off the 
fries and most of their respective drinks.

Mulder cleans the table off and takes one more
gulp of coffee before disposing of their trash. 
Taking the baby  from the high chair; Will places
one small arm around Mulder's neck and pats Mulder
on the cheek saying, "Da, da, da." 
Mulder has to laugh. "Will, you are the happiest 
little guy. I'm not sure where you get that,
but it could be from your mom."

"Mo, mo, mo."

"That's right mo."

Just then a tall thin man accompanied by an 
equally tall thin woman approach Mulder and Will.

"Mulder, Fox Mulder?"

Mulder turns to stand toe to toe with Special 
Agent Danny Brown, and what Mulder assumes, 
must be his wife.

Agent Brown was one of those agents who never
had a good thing to say about 'Spooky Mulder'.

"Agent Brown."

"I thought that was you."

"One in the same," Mulder quips.

"I heard you got the pink slip."

"Yeah I guess you could say that."

"So have you found work yet?"

"Um, I'm not really looking."

"Oh right, you and Agent Scully have a kid or 
something."

"He's a kid and not 'a something'."

"Sorry I didn't mean anything by it."

"I'm sure."

"Well you take care of yourself."

"I intend to take care of all of us," Mulder says 
looking at Will as the agent and the woman move 
off whispering to each other.

"What a tool," Mulder sighs, adding, "And people 
wonder why I prefer your company, Will."

Will pats Mulder on the face again, "Da, da, da."

"That's right," Mulder chuckles, "And don't 
you forget it!"

Will starts' to squirm in Mulder's arms and 
lets out a growl. "Easy does it buddy, I don't 
have your stoller here. I've got to carry you."

They walk the length of the mall but nothing 
appeals to Mulder. "What else would your mother 
like? I want it to be special since it's our first 
Christmas together."

He sits down on a vacant bench and places Will 
between his legs. The baby's feet dangle off the
bench, with Will furiously kicking them.
"Will, I'm taking suggestions, anything, anything
at all."

Just then Will starts to babble and points with
his tiny finger. Mulder looks up to see they are 
sitting in front of a travel agency.

"A trip? You think we should give mom a trip."
Will squirms', trying to get down; he squeals and
turns red.
"Okay, okay, no turning red, we'll check it out."


Twenty minutes later Mulder emerges from the travel 
agency, tickets in hand. Just then a woman pushes
the door open, "Mr. Mulder!"

"Yes."

"You left your packages here."

She brings out Scully's gifts and Will's diaper bag.

"Thank you," Mulder says adding, "Would you mind,"
 handing Will over to the woman.

"Of course," she laughs.

Mulder finally has everything in place,taking Will from her.
"Next time I have to come to the mall I'm hiring a sherpa."
The woman laughs and heads back to the travel agency.

Mulder and Will make their way through the throng of 
people. Finally reaching the mall vestibule, he 
sits down his packages. Mulder lets the diaper bag 
and his jacket slip from his shoulder. He lays Will
down on a bench next to him. Slipping on his own jacket, 
he sits Will up and puts the fuzzy navy blue jacket on 
him, zipping it up. Laying Will back down, Mulder ties 
the hood, "Mom says I have to keep those ears of yours 
covered. We don't want a repeat of Thanksgiving do we." 
Picking up Will, he slings the diaper bag over his
shoulder and grabs his packages.

Pushing through the door, they are hit with a cold 
blast of brisk December wind. Mulder pulls his jacket
over Will, burying the baby's head into his chest. 
Fumbling for his keys he manages to open the rear door,
piling all the packages in it. He moves around to the
front. Opening the door, he sits down, still holding Will.

Starting the car, he uncovers the baby's face. 
"Will it's too chilly in here for me to put you in 
that cold carrier. You'd freeze to death."
Will lays his head on Mulder's chest and sucks his 
thumb. He's completely worn out. Mulder rubs the little 
boys back as the car starts to warm up. Will drifts off 
to sleep and scrunches down into Mulder's warm body.
Mulder kisses his head. "Will, I hate to do this to you 
buddy but you have to be strapped in." Mulder twists and 
turns until he is facing the back seat. 
He lifts Will over the seat as the baby softly snores 
and flexes his fingers. He lowers Will into the carrier 
and buckles him in. Covering Will with a blanket, he moves 
back behind the wheel. Will softly stirs', waking up.

Pulling out of the parking lot Mulder eases into the traffic 
as shadows grow long in the fading light. Tuning the radio 
to soft Christmas music, he looks over at Will.  The 
baby's tiny head is leaning against the car seat as 
he chews on his thumb with sleepy eyes. 

"You know Will I'm really looking forword to Christmas 
for the first time in years, just you, me and mom."

Will softly repeats', "Mo, mo, mo."

                         

                        ~The End~